Ice tray grid



Feb. 29, 1944. MILLER ETAL 2,343,018

I ICE TRAY GRID Filed April 15, 1940 If i.. i

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27 .27 INVENTORS JIM A'iToRNEY Patented Feb. .29, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT .osrics ICE TRAY-GRID Application April 15, mo, Serial No. 329,642

(Cl. sz -1os.s)

I Claims.

ing the ice bond between the ice cubes and its enclosing grid walls.

Another object is to provide a new and improved ice tray grid having ice releasing mechanical means, which can be operated while the grid for forming ice shallow ice cube tray or pan ll of the usual type for storage in the freezing compartment of a refrigerator has removably fitted therein a mechanical grid device ll, embodying the features vof the-present invention. This grid device I! comprises a main or center partition I2, inter-' 1 sected by a plurality of substantially parallel cross partitions l3, and defining with said latter partitions and the walls of the tray ill a series of adjoining cells or molds H in which the ice 7 cubes are formed.

is retained in its tray, andwhich lends itself to easy releasing operation with little or no fingering of the ice cubes. I

Another object is to provide a new and improved mechanical ice tray grid, which can be operated to release the ice cubes from the grid walls without splintering or otherwise damaging said cubes.

Among other objects is to provide a mechanical ice tray grid, which is simple in construction with aminimum number of parts, which is of extremely practical and rugged construction and not likely to get out of order, and whichis well suited to meet the requirements of economical manufacture. I

Various other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following particular description, and from an inspection of the accompany- 7 ing drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a grid device,

' embodying the present invention, and shown with its mechanical releasing means in ice-freezing position,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1, 1

Fig. 3 is a section similar to that of Fig. 2, but showing the releasing meansin'the process of being operated,

, lines 5-5, 6-6 and lof Fig. 4 respectively,

Figs. 8- and'9 are detail sections taken on lines 8-8 and 9-9 of Fig. 1, respectively,

Fig. 10 is a front elevation of one of the crosswise partitions of the grid, and

Fig. 11 is a perspective of one of the plate segments constituting part of the longitudinal partitions of the grid, In the specific form of the invention shown, a

The grid II is resiliently bendable as a. unit for ice releasing operations as will be hereinafter described. For that purpose, there is provided a spring strip It, made of suitable strong spring material such as spring steel, and shown in the form of a leaf spring extending along the top of the center partition I2 substantially at right angles to said partition.

The cross partitions II are rigidly secured at their upper edges to the spring Ii. For that purpose, each of these partitions I3 is desirably of thin double wall construction with its laminations it held in face to face contact by any suitable means as for instance'spot welding, and formed at their upper ends on opposite sides of the center partition l2 with outwardly extending transverse flanges or ears ll, affording seats for the spring 15. The spring I! may be secured to these flanges I! by spot welding, pinching or other suitable expedient.

The center partition |2 comprises a series of plate segments 20, arranged side by side substantially in one plane, and relatively movable angularly edgewise and with respect to the cross partitions l3 to permit elastic bowing of the grid unit. These plate segments 20 are supported at their upper ends to the cross partitions I3 desirably by means of tabs or tongues 2|, forming side' extensions of the upper corners of said segments,

and seated in notches 22 at the upper ends of.

to form shallow depressions 23 for the reception' of the tabs 2| of adjoining segments 20. The

adjoining top corner sections of adjoining segments 20 are offset in opposite directions as shown in Figs. 4 and 6, so that the tab 2| of one segment extends into the adjoining depression 23 of the adjoining segment to permit co-planar positioning and operation of said segments.

By means of the construction described, the cross partitions I! are rigidly secured at their and, It are desirably upper ends to the spring l5, and the center partition segments 20 are effectively locked between said spring and said cross partitions, and between adjoining cross partitions to form a strong in-' divisible gr d unit.

In order to permit relative angular movement of the segments 20 edgewise while limiting the .extent of this movement, each of these segments Inotches'fl is suinciently greater than the thickness of the cross partitions It to permit limited angular movement of the segments 20 transversely of the planes of the cross partitions upon bending of the grid unit.

The lower corner sections of the segments 20 are offset in a manner similar to that of their upper corner sections to guide said segments for co-planar angular edgewise movement. For that purpose, the lower adjoining comer sections of the adjoining segments 20 are oilset in opposite directions to form shallow depressions 21 for the slide reception of the tabs 24 of adjoining segments.

' The offsets 23 and 21 on each segment 20 may be formed by a single stamping operation, with the corner sections on one side thereof offset in one direction from the main plane of the segment and the comer sections on the other side offset in the opposite direction.

Upon application of bending force to the spring IS, the center partition segments 20 will be spread fanwise, so that said spring will yield inwardly of said segments into bow-shape, shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Since the cross partitions i3 are normal to the spring 15, the inward bowing of said spring willcause said partitions to spread angularly from parallel positions shown in Fig. 2, to positions in which they diverge radially outwardly from said spring as shownin Figs. 3 and 4. During this bowing operation of the grid unit, the divergent spreading of the cross partitions It will cause said partitionsto peel away from the adjacent surfaces of the ice cubes, and will thereby breali theice bond between said cubes and said partitions. The outward flaring of the cross partitions it will then permit the released ice cubes to bedropped easily into a suitable receptacle.

The operating mechanism for bowing the grid unit comprises an operating lever "Land a link transmission between said lever and the ends of the spring II. This transmission desirably includes a link 3i, having its outer end 22 anchored to one end 33 of-the spring ll by any suitable means as for instance spot welding, and having its inner end pivotally connected at 34 to the lever 80; The other part of the link transmission comprises a link 85, having its outer end 38 anchored to the other end 31 of the spring I! by spot welding or the like, and having its inner end pivotaily connected at 40 to the lever 30. The two pivotal points I4 and 40 are spaced close together lengthwise of the lever 30, and are located near one end thereof, so as to obtain maximum mechanical advantage compatible with practical construction. Also, thetwo links ll of different length to permit the use a, longer lever 30, 3

Injcne position. the two links 3i and 35 extend end to end along the top of the spring 15 with the lever collapsed in closely folded position over said links as'shcwn in Fig. 2. In order to imthe collapsed position shown in Fig. 2 into a posi tion laterally of the two links ll and 35, while the grid device is still in the tray it. During this lever movement, the two inner ends of the links 3| and 35 pivotally connected to the lever 30 are pulled inwardly in the manner of a togglejoint whereby the cross partitions II are caused to spread angularly outwardly.

When the lever 30 is raised, the lower end thereof bears against the spring strip I 5, as shown most clearly in Fig. 4. In this manner the lever 30 exerts a downward force or pressure at the point of contact with the grid, as it I is being raised from the horizontal position shown in Fig. 2. At the same time a pull is exerted between the pivotal connections. and 40. The pull exerted between the pivotal connections 34 and is transmitted through the links 3! and 85 to the ends of the grid, so'that the force multiplying-mechanism effects a pull having upward components at both ends of the grid. Since the lever 30 at its lower end exerts a downward force at an intermediate region of the grid, this lever when grasped by the hand not only is capable of distorting the grid but at the same time is operative to hold down the grid in the tray. When the lever 3|! is moved back to its horizontal position, the tension in spring member l5 causes the lever to move to the collapsed position shown in Fig. 2.

To compactly receive the releasing mechanism so that it does not extend beyond'the general contour of the grid unit in the collapsed posi-. tion, and to predetermine the direction of bending of the spring IS, the central portions 45' of said spring is set with a concavity or hollow. This concavity compactly receives the ice releasing mechanism ,in the collapsed position of said mechanism as shown. in Fig. 2, and at the same time confines the bending of the spring I! in the direction shownin Figs. 3 and 4.

As many' changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and being formed by a series of plate segments rels tively movable angularly ianwise to permit said spring to be bowed, a series '01 spaced partitions extending crosswise of said first partition and forming a grid unit therewith, a manually operable lever operative to assume a position extending substantially horizontally along the top of,

said spring, and means operable upon upward swinging movement of said lever from said position for bowing said spring to cause saidcrosswise partitions to diverge outwardly from said spring.

2. An ice tray grid including a flat horizontal elongated leaf spring, a partition extending downwardly from and along said spring and forming a unit with said spring, said partition being formed by a series of plate segments relatively movable angularly fanwise to permit said spring to be bowed, a' series of spaced partitions extending crosswise of said first partition and forming a grid unit therewith, a manually operable lever operative to assume a position extending along the top of said spring, and a pair of links in one position extending substantially in axial alignment, and having their inner ends pivotally connected to said lever at spaced points and their outer ends anchored to the opposite is operated to produce force to cause distortion rt said grid, a pull is eilected having upward components at spaced points of said grid and simultaneously a downward force is imparted to said grid at a region between said spaced points.

7. The combination with a tray, of a, distortable grid insertable into and removable from said tray, and force multiplying mechanism operative to cause distortion of said grid, said mechanism including a movable part and being so constructed and arranged that, when said grid is positioned in said tray and movement of said part is effected to produce force to cause dis tortionof said grid, upward forces are exerted at spaced points of said grid with said part simultaneously exerting a downward force (In said grid at a region between said spaced points.

8. The combination with a tray, of a distorttable grid insertable into and removable from ends of said spring, respectively, whereby upon angular movement of said lever said links will be tensioned to bow said spring and correspondingly cause said crosswise partitions to diverge outwardly from said spring.

3. An ice tray grid device including a substantially horizontal spring strip, a series of spaced partitions extending downwardly from and crosswise of said strip and forming a unit therewith, said-strip having a downward concavity along a substantial portion of its length, and toggle mechanism including a pair of link members having their inner,ends connected at a region'intermediate the ends of the grid and their outer ends connected to opposite ends of the grid, said toggle mechanism being capable of nesting in said concavity when not in use, and operative to,

cause downward bowing of said strip, whereby said partitions are diverged outwardly and downwardly from said strip.

4. An ice tray grid device including a substantially horizontal spring strip, a series of spaced partitions extending downwardly from and crosswise of said strip-and forming a unit therewith,

said bray, said grid including a plurality of partitions or 'wall pieces and a backbone member at the upper edges of said partitions or wall pieces, and force multiplying mechanism operative to cause distortion of said grid with accompanying bending of said backbone member, said mechanism including a movable part and being so constructed and arranged that when said grid is positioned in said tray and movement of said part is effected to produce force'to cause distortion of said grid, upward forces are exerted at spaced points of said grid with said partsimultaneously exerting a downward force on said backbone member at a region of said grid between said said strip having a downward concavity along a :loint tor bowing saidstrip downwardly, whereby said partitions are diverged outwardly and downwardly from said spring, said toggle-Joint in one position being capable'oi nesting-in said concave set. v

v 6.-The combination with a tray, of a distortable grid insertable into and removable from said tray, and force multiplyingmechanism to cause distortion of said grid. said mechanism being so constructed and arranged that, when said grid is positioned in said tray and said mechanism with respect to said tray. I

' FRANK a. sauna.

' between the outer ends of said grid.

spaced points. 1

9. The combination with a tray, of a distortable grid insertable into and removable from said tray, said grid including a plurality of partitions or wall pieces and a backbone member at the upper edges of said partitions or wall pieces, and toggle mechanism operative to cause distortion of said grid with accompanying bending of said backbone member, said toggle mechanism including a lever and link members having their inner ends connected to diflferent points on saidlever and their outer ends connected to theouter ends of said grid, said mechanism being so constructed and arranged that, when said grid is positioned in said tray and said lever is moved to produce force to cause distortion of said grid, upward forces are exerted at the ends of said grid and a part of saidlever simultaneously exertsa downward force on said backbone member. at a region 10. The combination witha tray, of a distortable grid insertable into and removable from said tray, and force multiplying mechanism operative to cause distortion of said grid, said force multiplying mechanism including a movable part and being so constructed and arranged that, when said grid is positioned in said tray and move- 7 merit of a said part is effected to produce force to'cause distortion of. said grid, a component of said force is exerted at one region of said grid to hold the latter in said tray and simultaneously other components are exerted at other regions removed in opposite ,directions from said one region to effect separating movement of said grid GUST BOUD. 

